The taste of good memories
by Hibiscus Mavros
Summary: The story takes place for the beginning after the events of chapter 105 of Attack on Titan and refers to what could have happened between Sasha and Nicolo during the four-year parenthesis. For those who follow only the anime, Nicolo is a military Mahr cook, whose boat will be confiscated by the inhabitants of Paradise.


**The taste of good memories  
**  
Fanfiction by Andromeda Hibiscus Mavros  
_www .hananokaze .org_

Rating / Classement [+18]

_First published in French on June 26th 2019  
First published in English on July 10th __2019_

_Single Chapter_

_Disclaimer : The context and the characters are from Attack on Titan, manga by Hajime Isayama._

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

_Context : _ _The story takes place for the beginning after the events of chapter 105 (knowing that season 3 will stop on chapter 90) and refers to what could have happened between Sasha and Nicolo during the parenthesis of the four years._

_For those who follow only the anime, Nicolo is a young military cook Mahr, whose boat will be confiscated by the inhabitants of Paradise (he will be used as a victim of a memorable staging of Hansi under the desperate look of Levi ^^)._

_ If you like Sasha, I'm sorry __…_

**OoO**

Nicolo had long cried in front of the grave with the family ... Then, at nightfall, he could not help him to return to the military cemetery.

He sat facing the newly engraved tombstone and caressed it.

Memories came back to him, when Mahr sent the battleship where he was a cook to Paradise. It was four years ago.

The boat was ready to moor near the coast of the island when, suddenly, it was shaken and raised up by the water before being put down by a titan.

It was the famous Assailant. Its owner, Eren Jäger, who also held the power of Founder Titan, was considered as the greatest traitor of humanity.

The crew was greeted by a very strange person, Hansi Zoe, who told them an eccentric speech.

Some members of the crew wanted to rebel but each of them received a bullet in the head.

Nicolo, got on the deck of the ship, and saw for the first time the face of a pretty brunette, sniper particularly effective.

At first, the soldier refused to collaborate with the devils, those Eldians with human appearance, but able to turn into titans with a simple injection.

This power, obtained over a thousand and eight hundred years ago by a girl named Ymir Fritz, had ravaged the entire world for centuries before a large part of his descendants flew to the island of Paradise, where he was hidden behind walls, where it was said that the worst atrocities were taking place.

That said, as time passed he realized that the inhabitants of Paradise were finally ordinary people and not and not bloodthirsty monsters, portraits that the Mahr authorities made of them.

One day, while cooking for a group of prisoners, he heard a female voice:

"Hmm, it smells too good! Can I have some please?"

It was the young woman with the rifle, but she no longer looked like an accomplished soldier with eyes wide open and drool dripping down the side of her mouth.

A little puzzled, Nicolo poured some soup into a bowl, handed it to the woman and, To her surprise, she gulped greedily without a slightest suspicion.

"I loved it, can I have some more?"

A second bowl, then a third and until you empty the pot. Astonished, the young Mahr began to chat with the astonishing girl, her name was Sasha Braus and she was a little over sixteen years old, like him.

Without talking too much about it, she explained to have participated in the battle of Shiganshina. Very quickly the conversation went back on the food and touched a particular point, Nicolo explained that it was possible to eat seafood.

Hearing this, Sasha jumped in all directions and took the young cook in his arms through the bars, repeating happily "thank you, thank you, thank you".

The day after, Major Hansi asked Nicolo to pick a few assistants and follow her, or him, because it was difficult to know if it was a man or a woman.

A moment, the young man was scared, but finally, he was brought to the seaside where where a makeshift kitchen had been set up under a tent. Various fish, shellfish and other seafood products were present.

The cook's mission was clear, to prove what he had said.

Of course, Sasha was present, and as she had done for soup, she threw on the first dish, a lobster in sauce, without worrying about the risk of poisoning, to the chagrin of her colleagues.

Her mouth full, her eyes sparkling, she said to the young man:

"Nicolo, you're a genius!"

From that day, Nicolo used to prepare dishes from the sea, first as a prisoner, then as a free cook.

Finally, the military authorities offered him more freedom, as Yelena's volunteers had already benefited from, and he was able to open a restaurant.

Very soon, the customers jostled each other, first the soldiers who had known the seaside tent, then ordinary civilians, but most of all, almost every day, Sasha came.

Although she ate on her own for ten, Nicolo always offered her the free meal and often the young woman liked to watch the preparation of a dish as much as to eat it.

At times, Nicolo was talking to his colleagues about the one that nickname was Miss Potatoe. Some, always a little reluctant, told him to be wary of her, but deep in his heart, the former Mahr soldier had made his choice.

A year to the day after his arrival on Paradise, he closed his restaurant for the evening and invited Sasha. He had planned a good meal with the best products.

Before the girl's arrival, he left his cooking outfit and spent a long time observing himself in a mirror to make sure he was presentable.

When Sasha arrived, she had her long brown hair brought back with pliers on one side, and she was wearing for the first time a dress cut in a dark green cotton like the military cape she often wore, tightened at the waist with small balloon sleeves.

The simplicity of the dress confronted a fun detail, she had at the feet of large laced boots.

The hand behind the head, a little embarrassed, she explained:

"First, I wanted to come in my usual outfit, but Mom told me to make an effort. she retouched one of her old dresses but it was at the last moment that we realized that I had only my soldier's boots or this pair for the hunt. seems that it doesn't match, but, I thought it wasn't the most important!"

Once again, Sasha's flippancy had its effect. Nicolo was in love, he even had red cheeks, but that, his guest did not pay attention, too busy admiring the table covered with appetizing dishes.

During the meal, they had discussed many things. Sasha asked Nicolo for the first time more personal questions, his life in Mahr, his career and most importantly, what he finally thought of Paradise and its people.

The young man's answers pleased her, she seemed sincerely happy to see him beaming in his new life.

Nicolo was hesitant, he wanted to talk to her seriously, but she was there, with that childish air, her mouth still full, almost devouring everything while he had barely pecked.

For a moment she stopped short, swallowed quickly and asked him:

"Nicolo, are you OK?"

"Yes … I …"

Sasha was about to gobble up a new bite, but she gently put her fork on the edge of her plate.

"I have done something wrong ? I know, I'm always told that I behave like a glutton and ..."

"No, Sasha, that's not this ..."

Nicolo held out his hand and caressed Sasha's cheek, who remained silent.

Kid always hungry, sent to the army by her father, tired de supporter tired of this girl who ate more than she hunted, she was always known to be a buffoon. With Connie, they formed the "binomial of morons" as Jean sometimes said.

There, at the height of her eighteen years, she, the ruthless sniper, felt an unknown thrill. Before, she considered the cook as a friend, of whom she was very close, almost a brother, a little like Connie, and now, everything changed.

"Nicolo, I …"

The young man withdrew his hand and lowered his eyes.

"I'm sorry ... I should not have do that, I hope we'll still be friends ... despite ... "

Confident, Sasha grabbed his hand and put it back on her cheek, closing her eyes.

"I lost so many people ... I was betrayed by some, others died under my eyes, hundreds ... My life is death ... I kill without hesitation ... Death follow me ... If I eat, it was first that yes, I was greedy, but now, when I eat, I forget for a moment what is atrocious in my life ...

Mikasa often says "This world is cruel but it is so beautiful" ... I think I just discovered something beautiful ... "

Saying these words, she lifted her sparkling brown eyes with a small smile, her hand trembling.

Nicolo remained frozen, unable to say anything. He had spent his time since his decision to organize this dinner to face a rejection, there, it must be a dream.

While holding the young man's hand, Sasha got up, he did the same and they found themselves face to face. Sasha often jumped in his arms, excited about the meals, that had nothing to do with it.

Taking a deep breath, the cook, who for his part knew only the rigor of the army imposed on the young soldiers since the failure of the mission on Paradise, put his second hand on the other cheek of the pretty brunette .

She now looked like a shy little girl, then, suddenly, a shine crossed her gaze and she stepped closer to kiss Nicolo, running her fingers through the young man's curly blond hair.

This kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it was for Nicolo the greatest happiness he had known. A miracle that illuminated his life.

He looked at Sasha again, her cheeks were red. In spite of her poorly fitting dress, she seemed to him the most beautiful in the world, especially as in the movement, the tie of her hair had dropped and they now surrounded her pretty face.

An amazing and unique vision, the young sniper always held her hair tied to aim without being embarrassed.

In the light of the few chandeliers in the room, she was so attractive.

Nicolo clenched his fist, his heart was beating too fast.

And then, he gave in, one hand tightened the waist and the other was lost in the wild hair. Sasha didn't oppose the slightest resistance and they kissed again.

Without a word, they remained for a moment embraced.

Forehead against forehead, they fixed each other eyes, the young woman grabbed the hand of the young man around her waist and slipped into the hollow of her back.

Nicolo understood the implied message, she wanted what he wanted.

Squeezing his hand, he took her with him, letting the candles tail off alone. Together they went up the little staircase leading upstairs.

Nicolo's room was very small, a bed for one person next to the window, a bedside table and a dresser, no wall decoration, a total simplicity.

Sasha was surprised by so much sobriety, the restaurant was however known to be very popular and and she knew that the cook had already repaid the loan she had been guarantor, sure of the success to come.

On the dresser, she noticed a detail, the Mahr uniform with the disheveled patches of the country, the symbol of Nicolo's new freedom.

They had not spoken directly about it, but Sasha had known the fate of Eldians beyond the walls and now the situation was difficult for young Mahr old enough to fight.

One evening, talking to Connie, she even said that she felt sorry for Berthold, Annie, and especially Reiner. The unwanted survivor who had had to consent to all the sacrifices since his return to save his life.

The volunteers had spoken of a man who had become serious and lonely, who never smiled and never hesitated to put his life on the line, as if, paradoxically, he was waiting for death as a deliverance.

The girl of the walls ends up saying that their prison was really a paradise compared to that hell ...

Seeing her pensive, Nicolo took her by the cheek and kissed her again.

Through caresses and tender kisses, they undressed. It was both their first time, however each gesture was fluid, natural, instinctive ...

In the light of the moon, they found themselves lying one against the other discovering each other in a new light.

Slowly, sighs were heard, the breaths were jerky ...

And finally, in two great sighs, they said in unison "I love you!" before an ultimate passionate kiss.

Sasha fell asleep quickly, snuggled against Nicolo. In the shadows he looked at the body of the young woman, covered with many scars, one of which was barely visible.

She joked about this violent shock to the head due to a riposte of the armored titan although it had almost kill her. The young woman complained that because of the trauma, bedridden, she was not able to attend the medal ceremony and that she had missed the main buffet, even if Connie had brought her some sweets.

It was definitely an exceptional person, lively, with always surprising reactions ...

So many reasons to love her ...

In the morning, they made a promise, Sasha wanted to complete the plan of Yelena, the famous "delicate mission".

By the time she left, they would see each other secretly, and she promised to announce on her return to her parents that they were going to get married.

She looked mutinous and promised she would say nothing to anyone, including Connie, his brother-in-arms.

For a few weeks, which became months, they saw each other regularly, then she went to the other side of the sea with a big smile.

When, a few days later, the airship returned, he was surprised not to see her come flying towards him. He was nice dressed with a basket full of cakes in his hand.

He saw in the distance a stretcher being extracted, on the ground, on which lay a soldier with long brown hair.

No …

Suddenly Connie turned around and noticed the cook in the crowd. Slowly, he went to the gate. The closer he got went, the more Nicolo could see eyes full of tears.

The young soldier grabbed his hands at the bars.

" I am sorry…"

Nicolo collapsed on his knees.

"No … no…"

Then, taking his head in his hands, he shook it screaming.

"Not Sasha, not her ..."

Connie and Jean, who had come to help hearing the cries of despair, led him aside. They advised him not seeing the corpse because it was not the image he wanted to keep from Sasha.

During the two days preceding the funeral, he remained locked in his room crying with emptying the bottles of his famous wine.

It was the insane act of a twelve-year-old girl who had been fatal to her. A lost bullet had killed the one who had survived the titans, and especially was one of Shiganshina's nine heroes ...

A stupid death, without honor ... The only comfort was knowing she was gone quickly, without having suffered or realized what was happening to her.

Her last word "meat" was as simple as incongruous. However, it represented a major aspect of Sasha's personality, her greed. A love of the good things she enjoyed more since the reconquest of the Mur Maria and the end of dietary restrictions.

And tonight, he was there ... Alone ... Sitting in front of this cold stone covered with flowers ...

Once up, he looked one last time at the stele and its engraving "Sasha Braus, 834-854, Heroine of Shiganshina, died for freedom", he leaned over and laid down in front of a simple potato. A gesture a little strange, but, which, for all those who had known Sasha, showed that whoshe had been, a lover of the good things during her so brief existence.

From that day, every time he tasted a dish, he thought of what Sasha would have said, sometimes he felt like she was snuggled against him, in solitude, he thought he heard her laugh ...

Perhaps he had Eldian blood finally and that, thanks to the path, perhaps a part of her remained in him.

The road, this way resembling a constellation in the night that bound the descendants of Ymir and that only they could see had the power to continue to make a person alive into the minds of others.

Anyway, path or not, even if it was hard, Nicolo would continue to advance because to speak about her made live the memory of Sasha, the love of his life.


End file.
